Published: Saturday, April 26, 2014 at 5:59 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, April 26, 2014 at 5:59 p.m.

Phillip “Pappy” Penland loved motorcycles, particularly Harley-Davidsons. So it was only fitting that when he died, his desire was to be pulled to the cemetery behind one.

His wish was granted Saturday, as pallbearers gently slid Penland's casket, embossed with an orange Harley-Davidson emblem, into the back of a special motorcycle hearse brought to Mud Creek Baptist Church for his funeral procession.

Following the hearse was a line of mourners that included Penland's widow, Sue; son, Josh; and daughter, Miranda, on the backs of motorcycles; a trailer pulling Penland's beloved show bike; and roughly 100 bikers in black leather, many of whom are members of Mud Creek's motorcycle ministry, Carolina Faith Riders.

“The rig carrying his show bike, that was his baby, his skull bike,” said mourner Steve Jellema, who married Penland's cousin. “He's won many, many awards for that. They're all over his office.”

The owner of Chuck's Plumbing in Fletcher, Penland died of an apparent heart attack April 19 while on vacation with his grandkids at a water park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. He was 53, a vigorous, brawny man who once rode to a Harley rally in Sturgis, S.D. – 1,300 miles in all – in just a day and a half.

It was not long ago that Penland and his wife met the owner of Black Stallion Motorcycle Hearses while attending a bike rally.

“It's my understanding from the widow that her husband said he wanted this when his time came and they held onto his business card,” said Mark Smith, who pulled Penland's casket to Shepherd Memorial Park for burial on a Harley trike. “That time came much, much too soon, obviously.”

Smith, a certified funeral specialist at McAlister-Smith Funeral Home in Charleston, said his business owns one of the only Black Stallion hearses in the Carolinas. When Sue Penland contacted them, Smith said they were pleased to help out with the procession.

“As motorcycle and Harley enthusiasts ourselves, we appreciate and respect a fallen brother,” he said. “And that's exactly what we bought it for, to honor fallen motorcycle riders.”

Even before the procession, Penland's memorial service at Mud Creek Baptist was filled with personal touches. As hundreds of mourners filed into the sanctuary, many wearing bandannas and black leather vests adorned with patches, Lynyrd Skynyrd's “Simple Man” played over the sound system.

“He's not the dress-up kind of guy, so his wife said people should show up in biker clothes,” said Christie Houser, Penland's niece. “That's the way he would've wanted it.”

Josh Penland, who is taking over his father's plumbing business, rode his father's second motorcycle in the procession.

Brian Ward, a past-president of the Faith Riders, recalled how he and Phil Penland struck up a friendship during Bike Night, an event held Tuesday nights at the Sonic Drive-In on Chimney Rock Road. Ward kept asking Penland if he'd attend church with him.

“He'd say, 'Someday, someday I will,'” Ward said. “Well, one day I asked him, I said, 'Phil, do you want to go to church with me Sunday?' And he said, 'I'll be there.' So he came rolling in and he didn't leave.”

Penland took his newfound faith seriously, Ward said. He served as the vice president of Carolina Faith Riders and worked with the church's food ministry. He always gave generously of himself, Ward said, whether it was fixing a plumbing problem or helping those in need.

“I don't know what else to tell you about him, other than he loved motorcycles, he loved people, he loved his job and all of them he was extremely good at,” Ward said during his eulogy. “Extremely. So every time you get on there, think about him. Know that he's riding with you. He's in a better place.”

<p>Phillip “Pappy” Penland loved motorcycles, particularly Harley-Davidsons. So it was only fitting that when he died, his desire was to be pulled to the cemetery behind one.</p><p>His wish was granted Saturday, as pallbearers gently slid Penland's casket, embossed with an orange Harley-Davidson emblem, into the back of a special motorcycle hearse brought to Mud Creek Baptist Church for his funeral procession.</p><p>Following the hearse was a line of mourners that included Penland's widow, Sue; son, Josh; and daughter, Miranda, on the backs of motorcycles; a trailer pulling Penland's beloved show bike; and roughly 100 bikers in black leather, many of whom are members of Mud Creek's motorcycle ministry, Carolina Faith Riders.</p><p>“The rig carrying his show bike, that was his baby, his skull bike,” said mourner Steve Jellema, who married Penland's cousin. “He's won many, many awards for that. They're all over his office.”</p><p>The owner of Chuck's Plumbing in Fletcher, Penland died of an apparent heart attack April 19 while on vacation with his grandkids at a water park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. He was 53, a vigorous, brawny man who once rode to a Harley rally in Sturgis, S.D. – 1,300 miles in all – in just a day and a half.</p><p>It was not long ago that Penland and his wife met the owner of Black Stallion Motorcycle Hearses while attending a bike rally.</p><p>“It's my understanding from the widow that her husband said he wanted this when his time came and they held onto his business card,” said Mark Smith, who pulled Penland's casket to Shepherd Memorial Park for burial on a Harley trike. “That time came much, much too soon, obviously.”</p><p>Smith, a certified funeral specialist at McAlister-Smith Funeral Home in Charleston, said his business owns one of the only Black Stallion hearses in the Carolinas. When Sue Penland contacted them, Smith said they were pleased to help out with the procession.</p><p>“As motorcycle and Harley enthusiasts ourselves, we appreciate and respect a fallen brother,” he said. “And that's exactly what we bought it for, to honor fallen motorcycle riders.”</p><p>Even before the procession, Penland's memorial service at Mud Creek Baptist was filled with personal touches. As hundreds of mourners filed into the sanctuary, many wearing bandannas and black leather vests adorned with patches, Lynyrd Skynyrd's “Simple Man” played over the sound system. </p><p>“He's not the dress-up kind of guy, so his wife said people should show up in biker clothes,” said Christie Houser, Penland's niece. “That's the way he would've wanted it.”</p><p>Josh Penland, who is taking over his father's plumbing business, rode his father's second motorcycle in the procession.</p><p>Brian Ward, a past-president of the Faith Riders, recalled how he and Phil Penland struck up a friendship during Bike Night, an event held Tuesday nights at the Sonic Drive-In on Chimney Rock Road. Ward kept asking Penland if he'd attend church with him.</p><p>“He'd say, 'Someday, someday I will,'” Ward said. “Well, one day I asked him, I said, 'Phil, do you want to go to church with me Sunday?' And he said, 'I'll be there.' So he came rolling in and he didn't leave.”</p><p>Penland took his newfound faith seriously, Ward said. He served as the vice president of Carolina Faith Riders and worked with the church's food ministry. He always gave generously of himself, Ward said, whether it was fixing a plumbing problem or helping those in need. </p><p>“I don't know what else to tell you about him, other than he loved motorcycles, he loved people, he loved his job and all of them he was extremely good at,” Ward said during his eulogy. “Extremely. So every time you get on there, think about him. Know that he's riding with you. He's in a better place.”</p><p>Reach Axtell at 828-694-7860 or than.axtell@blueridgenow.com.</p>